Mili Birth Control vs Sprintec: Learn the Differences

The only difference between Sprintec and Mili are the manufacturers and inactive ingredients like the color of the pills. So Sprintec and Mili have the same benefits, side effects, and mode of action. The only differences would be if you have a reaction to the different inactive ingredients, usually just the pill coloring.

Birth control pills are used to prevent pregnancy and have additional benefits that can help ease heavy, painful, or irregular periods, reduce hormonal acne, and even delay periods.

There are two types of birth control pills: combined oral contraceptive pill (which contains both estrogen and progestin) or the progestin-only “mini-pill.” Pandia Health offers over 135 different birth control pills to choose from and it can be hard to know where to start. 

Mili and Sprintec are two common combined oral contraceptive birth control pills.

If you’re curious about the differences between Mili birth control vs Sprintec, continue reading to learn more.

What is Mili Birth Control?

Mili is a combined oral contraceptive or birth control pill. Mili contains two hormones, norgestimate 0.25mg (progesterone) and ethinyl estradiol 0.035mg (estrogen). Mili does not protect from sexually transmitted infections. To be safe, always use condoms or other barrier methods.

Mili birth control pills prevent pregnancy by preventing the release of an egg (ovulation), and thickening the cervical mucus, blocking sperm from getting into the uterus and getting to the egg.
Mili can also be used to treat acne, reduce the risk of ovarian cysts (as in polycystic ovarian syndrome [PCOS]), treat painful or heavy periods, and more. If you are 35 years or older and a smoker, do not use Mili birth control since it puts you at a higher risk of stroke, blood clots, and heart attack. If you are a smoker, let your doctor know to find the safest hormonal birth control for you.

What is Sprintec Birth Control?

Sprintec is also a combined oral contraceptive or birth control pill and is safe and effective in preventing pregnancy.

Sprintec, like Mili, is a prescription medication that contains norgestimate 0.25mg (progesterone) and ethinyl estradiol 0.035mg (estrogen). Sprintec can also treat acne, reduce the risk of ovarian cysts (as in polycystic ovarian syndrome [PCOS]), treat painful or heavy periods, and more.

Please note: The use of either of these medications does not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like HIV infection, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Herpes. It’s important that you also use a barrier contraceptive method (like a condom) to practice safe sex and prevent unwanted pregnancy as well as decrease the spread of STDs.

Find the Right Birth Control for You

Of note, Mili and Sprintec both contain norgestimate which sometimes results in more breakthrough bleeding for some people. If you think Mili or Sprintec birth control pills might be right for you, Pandia Health is here to help! We pride ourselves on prescribing birth control based on the “Pandia Health algorithm,” which considers several factors, including age, race as a proxy for genetics, BMI, and personal medical history. All these factors can influence your reaction to birth control.

Pandia Health’s expert doctors will determine which pill is right for you after you fill out our health information questionnaire!

Dosages

Mili and Sprintec both contain the same hormone dosage (norgestimate 0.25mg (progesterone) and ethinyl estradiol 0.035mg (estrogen)) in the 21 active tablets included per pack. After 21 days, you’ll switch to 7 placebo tablets. These are inactive tablets with no hormones that are there to keep you in the habit of taking your pill every day. This way you always remember to start a new pack after taking the last inactive tablet. If you miss a dose, you can take it as soon as you remember it.

Although you want to skip your menstrual periods, you can take active tablets continuously and skip the placebo week. Period is optional and Pandia Health Doctors can help you learn more about it.

It is extremely uncommon for individuals on birth control to have an allergic reaction, but it is possible. Allergic reactions serious symptoms include itching, hives, trouble speaking, unusual sweating, swelling of your throat, severe headache, severe stomach pain, trouble breathing, low blood pressure, severe dizziness, sudden heavy bleeding, and passing out. Call 911 immediately if you experience these signs of an allergic reaction.

Mili

Mili contains two hormones: Norgestimate 0.25mg (progesterone) and Ethinyl Estradiol 0.035mg (estrogen).

Tri Lo Mili (also called Tri Mili) is a triphasic combination oral contraceptive pill.

Instead of having 21 tablets of the same dosage, followed by a placebo week, a triphasic pill provides a different combination of dosage each week. Each group of 7 pills has a different color so you know those are the different dosage pills. In some types, the progestin content increases; in others, the progestin dose remains steady, and the estrogen content increases. This does not change how you should take them or the way the medication works.

Tri Lo Mili birth control pills contain:
Week 1: norgestimate 0.18mg, and ethinyl estradiol 0.025mg.
Week 2: norgestimate 0.215mg, ethinyl estradiol 0.025mg.
Week 3: norgestimate 0.25 mg, ethinyl estradiol 0.025mg on week number 3.
Week 4: a placebo week = pills that do not contain any active ingredients. They’re just placeholder pills so you don’t get out of the habit of taking a pill every day.

Sprintec

Sprintec contains a combination of two hormones, estrogen (ethinyl estradiol, 0.035mg) and progestin (norgestimate 0.25mg).

Like Mili, Sprintec also comes with triphasic options. All of them have the same active ingredients. What differs is just the level of hormones each week and between the pills.

Tri Sprintec contains two hormones, norgestimate (progesterone) and ethinyl estradiol 0.035 mg (estrogen). Each week has a different combination of dosage:

Week 1:norgestimate 0.18 mg, and ethinyl estradiol 0.035 mg;
Week 2: norgestimate 0.215 mg, ethinyl estradiol 0.035 mg; and
Week 3: norgestimate 0.25 mg, ethinyl estradiol 0.035 mg.
Week 4: a placebo week = pills do not contain any active ingredients. They’re just placeholder pills so you don’t get out of the habit of taking a pill every day.

Tri Lo Sprintec uses a blend of two hormones, norgestimate 0.18/0.215/0.25 mg (progesterone) and ethinyl estradiol 0.025 mg (estrogen). This option is called “lo” because it contains a lower dose of estrogen. The combination of dosage weekly is the following:

Week 1:norgestimate 0.18 mg, and ethinyl estradiol 0.025 mg;
Week 2: norgestimate 0.215 mg, ethinyl estradiol 0.025 mg; and
Week 3: norgestimate 0.25 mg, ethinyl estradiol 0.025 mg.
Week 4: a placebo week = pills do not contain any active ingredients. They’re just placeholder pills so you don’t get out of the habit of taking a pill every day.

Side Effects

Hormonal birth control pills are among the safest and most effective methods of contraception. However, some people may experience side effects when taking either Mili or Sprintec.

Common side effects can include, nausea, breast pain, slightly elevated blood pressure, and slightly blood sugar levels. See Pandia Health’s founder, Dr Sophia Yen, for tips on how to avoid side effects when starting birth control pills here.

Long-term adverse side effects can include high blood pressure, blood clots, blood vessel damage, gallbladder disease, heart attack, liver cancer, and stroke. These sound scary, but remember: these are rare! The risk for a blood clot is about 3-6 women out of 10,000 per year. If you have a history of high blood pressure, stroke, or experience migraines with aura, the CDC only recommends progesterone only pills.

You may also experience breakthrough bleeding or spotting when you’re not expecting your period; this is usually lighter than your typical menstrual flow. It’s usually caused by not taking your pill at the same time every day. If you are experiencing unexpected or unusual vaginal bleeding, talk to your doctor soon. This is not a full list of Mili’s side effects. For a full list of possible side effects and interactions, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

There are also beneficial side effects. Combination birth control pills, like Mili and Sprintec, can help treat, prevent, or lessen the effects of:

• Acne
• Hormonal acne
• Ovarian cysts
• Endometrial and ovarian cancers
• Iron deficiency anemia
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
• Ease of painful periods

Mili vs Sprintec: Which One is Right For You?

As we saw before, Mili and Sprintec have the exact same active ingredient and the same dosage. They are generic equivalents. The main difference is that the manufacturer and some of the inactive ingredients (mainly coloring/dyes) between these birth control brand pills are different.

If you have insurance, most birth control is a paid benefit. If you don’t have insurance, it’s important to compare prices. Pandia offers Mili for$30/pack or $75/3 packs without insurance Sprintec is $42 for a pack or $111 for 3 packs. Luckley, another generic equivalent of both brands is $20 for 1 pack (includes shipping, handling) or $40 for 3 packs.

Because everybody is different, some brands may work better than others. However for 95% of people, they notice NO difference between brand and any equivalent generics. You may have to try different birth control methods and different formulations of birth control pills to find the option that is best for you! But don’t worry, an expert Pandia Health doctor in birth control can help you find the right match for you.

Pre-existing medical conditions or other health problems like high blood pressure and smoking, are important factors for you and your doctor to consider when choosing the best birth control pill. At Pandia Health, our experts have developed an algorithm that can help to minimize the chance of side effects and find the best and safest option for you!